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Old 05-12-2013, 09:34 AM   #1
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We are picking up our new SF32RL on 5/15/2013 and we have a 1.5 hour walk through with the dealer. This is also an educational "how to" course. Are there any things in particular I should ask or look for during this walk through? This isn't our 1st 5th wheel but it is our 1st one with slide outs and 1st Crossroads.
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Old 05-12-2013, 10:31 AM   #2
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With slide outs you need to understand and check several new things. 1) Where the manual crank points are located (normally on the opposite side of the unit) and where is the crank stored? I personally have never had a slide out failure in 9 yrs. 2) What furniture and cabinets doors need to be stored/closed before retracting the slide out. 3) Check that the slide out doesn't drag on the carpet excessively, it may need to be adjusted. It will touch the main floor when about 2/3 retracted and then lift up when fully closed. 4) do not walk on the slide out floor while it is fully retracted, especially where the floor meets the side walls. 5) before extending the slide out, check for outside obstacles and make sure no interior items have moved/opened.
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Old 05-12-2013, 10:36 AM   #3
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Thanks for the information/advise! One other question concerning slide out as it seems you know a considerable amount more than I...Should the slide out be supported underneath if we plan on staying out for a couple of weeks?
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Old 05-12-2013, 10:48 AM   #4
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No, do not use any supports. If the trailer were to settle then you could end up damaging something. Also the Sunset's use the Schwintek slides which have no manual crank, look at the videos posted online on how to override them.

http://www.crossroadsrv.com/helpful-links

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Old 05-12-2013, 10:49 AM   #5
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The slide should not be supported, they are designed to support themselves. Supporting can possibly do more harm than good. Larry's advice is right on itis most important to stay off slide area when retracted. You will get lots of input on this
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Old 05-12-2013, 11:39 AM   #6
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From Tom Boles
SF Bay
Tom_boles@yahoo.com
STARTING POINT — A flashlight with a strong beam is a very useful tool to have. A
screwdriver with a straight, Philips and square bits will come in handy as well. You should also
have available the delivery invoice for the trailer. It will show all the standard equipment and
ordered options and should be compared to what you thought you ordered and should be referred
to during your inspection. Pictures from the glossy brochure will also help in your inspection.
You will need the understanding & cooperation of your dealer for this process, as it probably
involves far more depth & detail than they normally anticipate and schedule for. Make sure they
know about it in advance. (You may get a better-prepared trailer if you do!) At the very least, tell the
person doing the “owner inspection” or “walk through” what you intend to do, give him or her a copy
of this checklist and work with them to plan the time accordingly. A sense of humor will also come
in handy!
Check that all
the mounting points are solidly attached to the body and the rungs are firmly fixed to the
frame.
Climb on the roof and inspect all seams, gaskets and any other place that the roof material
has been cut or holes drilled.
Check that all shrouds & covers are intact, unbroken and properly seated on the roof.
Proper polyurethane caulking should have been used to seal all places where the roof has
been penetrated.
Check closely around air conditioners, vents, antennas, sewer vents, and side seams.
Look for any signs of bubbles (large and small), delamination, foreign objects or protruding
screw or nail heads under the membrane (if a rubber roof).
2. Windows — check closely around each window to make sure it has been properly aligned
and sealed.
3. Entry Doors — check the gasket used on all doors for proper adhesive and coverage.
Look closely at the door from the inside and confirm that it sits flush against the inside of the
doorjamb.
Confirm that each key works in the appropriate lock.
The main door should open & close smoothly and lock with out undue effort.
Check that the screen door opens smoothly alone and locks to the main door without any
extra effort.
4. Baggage Compartments — open and close each door checking for alignment and
gasketing.
Confirm that each key works in the appropriate lock
All hinges should be tight and secure and the latches should hold the door tightly closed
and still be easy to open.
Feel the floor or carpeting and look for any signs of moisture that might indicate rain
leakage.
Verify that compartment lighting (if fitted) works properly.
Any gas cylinders used for keeping the door open should be properly installed so as not to
interfere with items stored in the compartment. If clamp-type door hold-opens are used,
make sure they are present and hold the door correctly.
Sewer & Fresh Water Connections — Inspect this area on the trailer to make sure that
nothing is broken or deformed.
If appropriate at this time, make certain you understand how each valve or fitting works.
Understand the proper function of the black and gray water valves.
If tank flushing is installed, understand how it operates.
Understand where the low point drains are for the fresh water system.
6. Telephone & Cable TV Connections— Find and understand the telephone and cable
connections.
Make sure a weather cap is present for each connector and that connectors are properly
identified & mounting plates are properly sealed.
7. Propane —If the tank(s) are contained in a compartment, there should be no possible way
for propane to enter into the RV or any other compartment.
Understand how the regulator works and how it switches between cylinders.
Confirm that a leak test has been performed on both pigtails between the tanks and
regulator and the rest of the system.
Locate and understand the operation of the main shut off valve (if any).
8. Battery — Check the battery box to verify that it is ventilated and that any compartment
slide mechanisms work properly.
Verify that no battery cables are rubbing on any part of the frame because that will
eventually end up with a short circuit and possible fire.
Understand the battery type provided and how to maintain them.
9. Paint & Siding— Carefully check the paint finish on the RV. Any problems can be verified
and corrected at this point with a lot less hassle.
Site down the side of the unit to check for bumps or depressions in the siding.
Divide each side of the unit into 2, 3 or 4 sections and inspect for siding issues: color
variations, dents or irregularities.
Do the same for the ends of the unit
Look at places where vinyl film is used for graphics to make sure it is free of any air
bubbles.
Check ends of any decals for uniformity or “mistakes” that may have gouged the siding.
Look closely where masking tape was used for paint graphics to make sure there is no
over-spray.
Carefully check for surface smoothness and any place when paint coverage is marginal or
where there are bubbles.
Tires and Wheels — Closely inspect the tires and wheels and understand the proper
inflation pressure.
Verify the torque of the lug nuts or have the PDI person do it while you watch.
Find out the proper jacking point for the trailer and what kind of jack to use.
Determine if your tow vehicle lug nut wrench will fit the lug nuts on the trailer or if another
size is necessary.
11 Spare Tire — Check the condition & pressure of the spare tire.
Understand how the carrier works if it is the fold-down type.
12 Awnings — Extend and retract each awning paying particular attention to how the awning
is locked in the retracted position.
Make sure all springs, locks and supports work well and are properly aligned.
Wiggle the mounting points for the support arms to get a feeling for how solidly they are
mounted to the body.
13 Chassis Inspection — Put on some old clothes or coveralls and get a good-sized piece of
cardboard or carpet to make it easier to lie on you back while checking around under the
trailer. If it’s possible to do so without jacking up the rig, it’s a lot easier, but do what makes
sense to you.
You want to be able to Inspect all air and / or hydraulic lines, wiring, shock absorber
attachments, and in general every place that a wire or pipe could rub against something that
could cause a problem later.
All wiring and piping should be properly fastened.
Slide Out Operation — If your RV includes a slide-out or slide-outs then spend the time it
takes to understand its operation.
Start by checking the seals while the slide is retracted.
You should not be able to find any places where you can see light or detect airflow.
Use a flashlight to look into dark corners.
Understand the mechanism that extends and retracts the slide.
Operate it several times and understand any restrictions on operation.
Understand the manual retraction process and actually perform the retraction as if the
automatic mechanism had failed.
Look for proper alignment of any wheels that may ride on carpet or other flooring, to insure
proper clearance.
Understand any locking mechanisms that are used to hold the top of the slide out tight
against the top of the RV.
Do your best to make sure the seals are properly installed and operational when the slide is
retracted and also when it is extended.
Check the under-slide area for proper routing of wires or cables.
Confirm that nothing rubs on the tires (parts of the slide, wiring, insulation, Etc.) when the
slide is retracted.
Cabinets — Inspect & open all of the cabinets to insure that all the hinges and latches work
well.
Pull each drawer out to its stop, return it closed and then try to open it like road vibration
might do.
Makes sure that there have been no water leaks and that all the wiring and pipes are well
fastened.
Inspect the linings (if any), to insure they are fastened securely.
Run your hand along all edges, front & back to check for and delamination or loose edges
on molding or vinyl wraps (you may want to wear gloves for this part)
16 Molding & trim — Go over all the trim on walls, doors & furniture.
Make sure that everything is fastened on well and not loose or ready to come off.
Check that no nail or staples are protruding.
Lighting — Operate every light switch and observe its function.
Use the monitor panel to check battery levels.
Understand and verify any battery disconnect switches.
(at this point, only 12V lighting can be tested, as the unit is NOT connected to shore power
yet)
18 Closets —open and close all closet doors checking for free operation and proper
alignment.
Hanger rods should be properly fastened and secure.
Check out any lighting that is provided and any switches that are used.
19 Furniture — Examine every piece of furniture to check for construction, upholstery, pattern
and cloth matching.
Check out the dinette by making it a bed with the appropriate cushions.
Do the same with the couch or sofa.
20 Blinds — Operate each blind and check for alignment.
Look at all valances and trim to be sure they are secured.
21 Counter Tops — Inspect all counter tops for alignment and fastening.
Make sure that any trim pieces that should be there are in fact tight.
Check for caulking quality everywhere there may be water, especially edges near a sink.
Check the installation of sinks and faucets.
22 Windows — Open and close every window and operate the latches.
Pay particular attention to the two safety egress windows or emergency windows and make
sure they operate smoothly & easily.
23 Floor Coverings — Inspect carpet and other floor coverings in all corners to insure that
they have been properly fastened down.
Check areas that slide outs may roll over for pulled threads, cuts or other problems.
Check closely for gouges or cuts in linoleum tile.
24 Wall Coverings — Check to make sure that all the wall coverings actually cover and join
properly.
Look for any discoloration or patch jobs that may cover hidden problems.
Try to find any places where it is not perfect since now is the time to get it fixed while
matching patterns are in stock.
(Some folks suggest ordering extra fabric, carpet, and wallpaper now so that matching
material is available to make small modifications or repairs at a later date.)
Shore Power System— Now is the time to connect up to shore power.
Pull out all of the AC cord, confirm the length and inspect the plug for proper attachment.
Inside the unit, check any 110V lighting and switches.
(If you have a 110V receptacle tester, check all outlets for proper wiring/polarity.)
Find the GFI-protected outlet and test using the push button.
Understand which receptacles “down stream” from the GFI are protected.
Any electrical problems here should be corrected immediately.
26 Converter — Confirm the operation of the converter/charger that is installed.
Turn on several interior lights to create a load for the converter and confirm no excessive
converter noise or vibration.
Have the PDI person explain the operation of the converter, the AC circuit breakers and the
DC fuses.
Make sure that there is a written list of the loads connected to each fuse or breaker.
27 Water Pump — Your PDI person should have filled the fresh water tank, so now you can
test the function of the water pump.
After turning it on, you should hear it pump for several seconds, even up to a minute to
create enough pressure in the system.
If the pump does not shut off, there is a problem.
Run water in the kitchen and bathroom sink and notice that the pump will come back on
until proper water pressure is restored.
Now is the time to fix a noisy pump if it is vibrating or making any irritating sounds.
28 City Water System — Turn off the pump, connect up to city water (use a regulator if overly
high pressure is suspected) and confirm that the connection works correctly.
Look for leaks under sinks and confirm the operation of all fixtures.
29 Tankage — Re-fill the fresh water tank if necessary and run water into the gray tank to
verify the gauge reading and that there are no leaks.
Filling the gray tank until water comes up in the shower will make it easier to find leaks
inside & out.
Do the same thing to the black water tank, including filling so that water comes up inside the
toilet. Check for leaks (if the toilet is installed correctly, there will be no leaks!) You can fill
the black water tank by using the tank flushing system (if fitted), by using a garden hose
adapter for the sewer connection (through a backflow preventer) or by bringing the water
hose inside and filling the tank through the toilet. This last method can be a little
cumbersome, and I don’t recommend unless you’ve done it before.
Check the gauges for accuracy while you are filling
Now is the time you want to find leaks if there are any.
Drain the gray and black water tanks using the sewer hose or the garden hose adapter.
Water Heater — Try the water heater on propane first.
A few seconds after you turn it on, you should hear the click of the igniter and the small pop
when the burner lights.
The red light should stay on until that process happens.
If it does not ignite, then there is a problem.
Turn the AC element in the water heater (if connected) and confirm operation.
Make sure you know the location of the electrical switch at the water heater and the correct
operation of the interior switch.
If your unit is so equipped, understand the operation of the bypass valves for winterizing.
Confirm that hot (or warm water depending on how long the water heater has been on)
comes out of the hot tap at the various sinks.
31 Furnace — Now its time to understand the operation of the thermostat that controls heating
and sometimes the air conditioning.
Turn the furnace on and set a temperature demand that is at least 10 degrees hotter than
ambient temperature.
In about 30 seconds, you should hear the furnace fans come on.
Shortly thereafter you should hear the click of the igniter and the sound of the burner. If not
then there is a problem. It could also be taking a while for propane to get to the heater, so
don’t dispair.
Let the furnace blow and you should get hot air at about 110 degrees coming out of all
vents. Check each one.
Now turn the furnace down and the hot air will gradually turn cooler and the fans will
eventually stop after the furnace has cooled sufficiently.
During this process have someone with a good nose checking for any smell of material
getting too hot, or exhaust coming out.
32 Air Conditioners — Some air conditioners also have a heat strip or heat pump feature so
now is the time to verify these functions.
Turn on the air conditioner.
After a couple of minutes, cool air, 20 degrees cooler than ambient, should be coming out of
the registers.
If you unit has ducting in the ceiling, make sure a good airflow comes out of each register.
Learn how to clean the filters at this time.
Propane and Carbon Monoxide Alarms & Smoke Detector— now is a good time to
check the function of these alarms.
The PDI person should have a small canister of gas that can be sprayed at the alarm to test
its operation.
Have them perform this test while you watch and learn how the alarms work.
Confirm that there is a new battery in the Smoke Detector (write the date on it for reference)
Activate the test button to check operation of the smoke detector. Understand how to turn it
off.
34 Refrigerator — Most modern refrigerators work on propane or AC and have an automatic
mode that gives preference to AC and then will switch to propane if AC power is not
available.
Understand the controls and the status lights and set the unit on propane. The RV may
need to be unplugged for this to happen.
Go outside to the refrigerator vent grill and make sure that the propane heating column is lit
and heating.
While the refrigerator grill is open, check to make sure the drain line is positioned for proper
drainage.
Set the temperature at the highest cooling setting, because setting it to lowest will typically
cause the coils to collect moisture and ice up.
Come back in about 10 minutes to feel that the coil/fins is actually starting to cool.
35 TV VCR Antenna and Switching —For the most through test, bring a small AC/DC TV with
you for the initial test.
Review and understand the switching system that allows the selection of viewing channel
on the front and rear TV.
Raise the TV UHF/VHF antenna and learn how to turn on the amplifier and the DC outlet.
Find out the power rating of the DC outlet and compare it to the load of the equipment you
will connect to it.
Activate the control on the front TV that scans for local stations.
Learn how to rotate the antenna to maximize the quality of the picture.
36 Air Vents — Test the operation of kitchen and bathroom air vents making sure they open
and turn on properly (if powered). Verify that they retract and close tightly.
Check any other vents for proper operation.
37 Microwave — Put a cup of cold water in the microwave and set the timer for 5 minutes.
The water in the cup should boil in less than 5 minutes.
Make sure there are no unusual sounds coming from the Microwave.
Propane Stove — Turn on one burner of the stovetop while the AC’s and Microwave are
running and the automatic igniters should cause a strong spark to light the burner.
Turn on the other burners to verify that there is enough propane flow to operate the
refrigerator, water heater and all the burners.
If everything is OK, turn off the burners on the stove.
If your unit has an oven, then understand how the pilot is lit and verify its operation now.
Note: Sometimes the burner ignites interfere with the operation of the thermostats for the
roof AC. This is the time to find this problem.




Edited by: LeBo
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Old 05-12-2013, 02:56 PM   #7
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First of all bring a videocamera and record the pdi. Best to have one person follow the pdi and another record. If you have small kids, get a babysitter or bring some form of entertainment (ie portable DVD player) so you can focus on the pdi. If it moves, opens, closes, or turns on or off, you want to see it. Make sure they open up where the water heater and pump are and show you winterization and dewinterization process. Don't let them just tell you how to do it, make them show you and you return the demo on everything. Good luck and have fun.
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Old 05-13-2013, 08:34 AM   #8
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WOW! Thanks Tom for the very in depth checklist! I've printed it out and will be using it on Wednesday. Thanks to all for their response. It's greatly appreciated!!
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Old 05-14-2013, 01:05 AM   #9
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If only I had recorded all of my dealings with my Dealership, including the PDI walkthrough.

At least that way, I would have video/audio evidence that they were talking out of their A$$ and then they might have done something to help me.




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